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Chapter 21




Before I knew it, it was already the end of December.
While Liam was in training, there was movement at the Banfield family mansion.
“Bryan, you’ve aged quite a bit since I last saw you.”
“That goes both ways.”
The person Bryan invited was a woman well-versed in etiquette.
She was a woman he had met during the Banfield family’s prosperous days, and she had worked in the imperial palace.
She held a position where she trained maids, making her quite an elite.
Though she was now retired, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren held those positions.
Despite being an old woman, she had a straight back and was a person who had watched over the empire for a long time.
The reason Bryan invited her was to establish high imperial etiquette in Liam’s mansion.
It was a set of manners that would be useful everywhere, and most importantly, it would be necessary in the future.
After all, to restore ties with other families, they would be accepting the children of nobles as trainees.
Etiquette had to be taught strictly.
“Your masters, except for Alister, were all foolish.”
“You’re being blunt.”
Alister was Liam’s great-grandfather.
The Banfield family’s former power was due to this person.
“But I could tell from looking at the mansion. It seems that the boy Liam is not foolish. I’ll raise my evaluation of him from ‘foolish’ to ‘mediocre.’”
“You’re as strict as ever. But Lord Liam is not mediocre.”
“That’s for me to decide. No matter how much he boasts of his martial prowess in pirate hunting, it’s only half the battle.”
Bryan asked the woman,
“So, what do you think? Will you take the job?”
The woman smiled.
“I only came to see your face, thinking it would be a disappointment—my mind has changed. Call all the maids. I’ll train them myself.”
Seeing the woman’s changed expression—her new head maid—Bryan smiled.
“I’m counting on you. It’s reassuring to have you here.”
“I’ll make sure we can accept the children of other families within ten years. Leave the mansion to me. I can’t help with anything else, though.”
Preparing the necessary facilities and other arrangements for accepting the children would be Liam’s job.
That part would be handled by Amakasu.
“It’s enough.”
The head maid showed interest in Bryan’s response.
“You must be quite pleased with Liam to have such a good expression. It’s a shame you can’t meet him while he’s in training.”
“It’s been a year, but it will be two more years before he returns.”
“Where did you send him?”
“To the Lazure Viscount’s family.”
Upon hearing this, the head maid showed discomfort.
“W-What’s wrong?”
“Of all places, the Lazure family? They treat accepting trainees like a business. I’ve heard they’re popular, but they’re not a good family. Didn’t you have other options?”
“Unfortunately, due to past events, our family doesn’t have any proper connections.”
The head maid said,
“They change the treatment based on the family they’re dealing with. If they think it benefits them, they’ll do superficial training and just try to please the trainees. In some cases, it might be better to send them to other families before they even enter the young noble school.”
There are cases where serious children became worse after being sent for training.
The head maid had various information because of her connections to the imperial capital.
“Is it that bad? From what I investigated, the reputation wasn’t bad?”
“It’s true for the families sending and receiving trainees. But in the imperial capital, their reputation is bad. If I had known earlier, I could have introduced you to better options.”
The head maid was regretful.
Bryan turned pale and ran to contact Liam.
◇
“Lord Liam, how is your life there?”
“Life? —It’s normal. There’s no paperwork, so it’s pretty easy.”
“E-Easy! —Ah, no. Is there anything else you’re doing?”
“What else? I have work soon. If you have no business, I’m hanging up.”
“W-Wait! What kind of work?”
“Resource mining on a resource satellite. I’m here to learn about labor.”
Bryan turned pale.
Is it that strange?
Kurt, dressed in a spacesuit, called out to me.
“Liam, it’s time to gather.”
“I’m coming. Bryan, don’t worry—my skills with heavy machinery have been praised.”
Bryan was saying something, but it was time to gather, so I ended the call.
◇
“Lord Liam! No, that’s wrong! Mining on a resource satellite is not a job for the head of a viscount’s family!”
After the call was cut, the head maid supported Bryan, who was about to collapse from regret.
“Pull yourself together!”
“But, the treatment is too harsh. We need to protest. We must urgently protest and demand improvements from the viscount’s family.”
But the head maid stopped him.
“That’s not a good idea.”
“Why not? Such treatment is unacceptable.”
“No, it might be for the best. I’ll hear the details later, but it’s good for him to know how the common people live. Plus, I like that he’s training without getting discouraged. I’ll raise his evaluation from ‘mediocre’ to ‘average.’”
Bryan was wiping away tears.
“To treat our precious Lord Liam like that—how can the viscount’s family be forgiven?”
“I agree. But, learning something from the training place depends on the individual’s qualities. It might be a good environment for him.”
Seeing Liam’s rather happy appearance, Bryan thought it was the only consolation.
However, that was not the end of it.
The head maid was not indifferent to the Lazure viscount’s family.
The head maid smiled.
“He’s an interesting head of the family. I like him—let me get serious too.”
◇
Space work.
Operating heavy machinery for mining, I was frustrated with the bulky and cumbersome spacesuit.
“This is stinky. And it’s too outdated.”
As I complained, Kurt, who was working similarly, responded.
“Yeah, the common people work in harsh conditions.”
I didn’t have much to say about that.
In my previous life, I was in much worse conditions.
I don’t feel sympathy.
“But it’s smelly.”
“I agree with that.”
Operating a machine that’s far from human-like, I chipped away at rocks.
I transported them and threw them into a machine to extract resources.
I continued this life for three months.
“Damn, the people on the ground are probably at parties right now.”
We rarely get to attend parties.
They are held once a month to learn etiquette, but the drinks and food are subpar.
In contrast, the privileged ones left on the ground enjoy real parties.
“I actually prefer it here. I’m not good at parties.”
Unlike me, Kurt is a reclusive type of corrupt lord.
I also want to be reclusive, but I love parties.
The luxurious food and drinks paid for by taxes are delicious.
“Are you okay as a noble? Enjoy the parties. If you keep this up, you’ll be in trouble at bucket parties.”
“I don’t think I’ll have a chance at bucket parties with my family’s status.”
Bucket parties have a certain status.
It’s really difficult.
Not only for the participants, but the organizers also need considerable skill.
I also want to host a bucket party someday.
As we talked, the work ended.
As we were about to leave, the instructor who was guarding us on a mobile knight called out.
“Liam, you’re really good with heavy machinery. If you ever get stuck, you can come work for us.”
He was joking, so I responded in kind.
“I’ll consider it. As a former viscount, I expect good treatment. Three meals and naps are a must.”
“Sure, I’ll think about it. But be prepared for low pay.”
“That’s a no-go.”
We joked as we returned to the ship.
◇
—Something’s off.
On the roof of the viscount’s mansion, the guide who was checking on Liam’s situation was puzzled.
“Why does he look so happy? He should be dissatisfied with this treatment.”
The gold and supplies Liam had accumulated were credited to others.
Despite receiving harsher treatment than he should have, Liam looked happy.
The guide couldn’t stand it.
Liam’s happiness meant the guide’s unhappiness.
Moreover, his chest felt tight.
His limbs were tingling.
“This level isn’t enough. I need to push Liam to the bottom of misery. Damn—what can I do?”
The situation wasn’t improving at all.
The guide thought of the next move, but with most of his power lost, there were few options.
“Is there anything I can do? Anything—”
Then, Peter came into view.
He was acting as if the viscount’s mansion was his own.
“Alright, I’ll use him to—no, he can’t beat Liam.”
The guide immediately gave up on Peter.
“What can I do? How can I make Liam miserable!”
The guide was so frustrated that he was crying.
◇
—The next day, I was also doing mining work.
That’s when it happened.
“What is it? There’s a white light flickering on the monitor.”
There was a white light on the monitor.
There was no reaction from the instruments, so maybe it was a mistake?
As I was thinking that, something hit the machine.
Curious, I went outside to check, and there was a pendant.
“What is this?”
It was probably debris.
I picked up a rather beautiful pendant and felt like I had gotten a good deal.
“Mining isn’t so bad.”
The use of gold was a high point.
I put it in my pocket and returned to work.
◇
At the imperial capital’s university.
In Tia’s room, a party was being held by fellow students from her hometown.
Students from the Banfield family’s territory gathered for a home party.
Tia, holding a terminal, read the regular communication and sighed.
“What’s wrong, Tia?”
A friend called out to her.
A friend who had survived the hell with her.
“The Banfield family’s fleet is apparently doing well in pirate hunting.”
Liam’s army, which publicly states their goal to eliminate pirates, regularly conducts pirate hunts.
Sometimes they are called upon by neighboring lords and set out.
This was a report of their success.
“Which fleet?”
“The first fleet. Lord Liam gave them a super-dreadnought, so they’re enthusiastic.”
The admiral, who had acquired a high-performance battleship, was enthusiastic.
I can understand the enthusiasm, so I have no complaints.
The reason for the sigh—
“I want to become a knight quickly and destroy the pirates.”
Everyone at this party had experienced those hellish days.
Some were captured by other pirates, but everyone felt the same.
The friend smiled and said,
“I understand. I understand, Tia! But let’s work hard to get our knight qualifications. We need to prepare a lot before Lord Liam comes here.”
“I know. But I want to destroy the pirates with my own hands.”
The new body—new life.
All of it is for Liam.
That was the common understanding of everyone.
In the room, images of Liam were floating on the walls and in the air.
The home party was being held with several holograms.
◇
At the Lazure viscount’s family.
“Fanatics?”
“Yeah. My father rose through the ranks as a mobile knight. He’s famous among mobile knight riders.”
While listening to Kurt’s story in the room, the topic turned to fanatics.
People who admire a knight and want to work under them to rise through the ranks.
On my side, the problem is that people don’t gather.
Considering the scale of a viscount’s family, we still need more people.
“It’s not a problem, right?”
“It’s a big problem!”
Kurt, excited, told me the story.
“My father, while he doesn’t look bad, is not an idol.”
When he showed me a photo, it was a rugged-looking man in his thirties.
Indeed, not an idol.
“Yet, a photo book was released without his knowledge.”
“Huh?”
“The document had my father’s signature, so I think he signed it by mistake. He often signs documents without reading them because he finds paperwork tedious.”
For unimportant documents, he would sign without checking the contents.
It wasn’t something that would incur expenses, and his subordinates said it was fine, so he signed it, and his photo book was released.
His daily life was recorded, and edited videos were also circulating—bought by his subordinates.
It sold well within the territory.
It generated considerable profit, and the baron had no choice but to continue selling such merchandise.
Kurt spoke earnestly, crying.
“—I get similar offers.”
Kurt suddenly became depressed.
“O-Oh.”
In your case, it’s probably because you’re handsome, I thought, but I kept quiet, fearing he might get angry again.
Still, I can’t understand why anyone would buy a middle-aged man in swim trunks.
—Fanatics are scary.
Bryan (´；ω；｀) “It’s tough. —It’s tough to tell Lord Liam that it’s too late.”
Tia ( ゜∀゜) “Lord Liam’s words can make me eat three bowls of rice! If I get a ‘beep,’ it would be ‘beep!’ and ‘beep!!!!!!’”
Bryan (´；ω；｀) “—It’s tough.”